The Biotic Debacle
by iu-atticus
Summary: It's the little moments that make up the bigger picture between two people. It's those moments that can impact a lifetime. femShep/Miranda


A/N: My muse finally came out to play a little and some writing actually happened for a change. The pairing is femShep/Miranda, so if femslash isn't your cup of tea, I wouldn't advise continuing. This is my first foray into posting anything Mass Effect oriented so I hope you all enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or tidbits of gameplay dialogue found within this story. They are property of BioWare and I make no money from the use of the events, people, or places used in this piece.

Spoiler Alert: This is based within the events of The Citadel DLC, so if you have not played it, I don't recommend reading further. This will spoil the main plot of the final DLC. You have been warned.

The idea of even owning an apartment on the Citadel had always been a foreign concept that never seemed like a possibility. Almost the entirety of her adult life had been consumed by the Alliance, being a Spectre, and roaming the galaxy one dire mission at a time aboard a frigate. Her childhood and time on earth felt like a different life and it was hard to imagine she had turned her back on the place she once called home. So the fact that Admiral David Anderson had left her a furnished apartment was something that caught her off guard and left her speechless from the moment she had stepped foot inside.

After the clone debacle, Caitlin 'Kate' Shepard found herself sprawled across the couch in her new living room, a chilled tumbler of Serrice Ice Brandy on the table nearby. The commander could hardly believe such a thing had gone unnoticed until now and was just thankful that no actual harm had come to anyone under her name. Kate shouldn't have been surprised that something of this caliber had taken place. It was right up her alley if you took a look at everything she had lived through up until this point and her comrades had ribbed her endlessly. Even after everything was handled, Kate could hardly contain the bubble of laughter that surfaced at remembering breaking into the Normandy. Saving the galaxy from an evil Shepard clone with a Cision Pro Mark 4 toothbrush would certainly be a memorable moment for her career. Before she could finish reaching for the rapidly warming brandy, the intercom buzzed, signaling a guest's arrival. With a weary sigh, Shepard heaved her tired body from its resting place to handle the unexpected visitor.

"Shepard, open the door," a familiar voice demanded, a hint of impatience evident in her tone. Kate took one look at the intercom's video interface and smirked, her eyebrow rising to complete the predatory smile gracing her features. With one flick of a button the door swooshed open to reveal an obviously frustrated Miranda Lawson. With one hand on her cocked hip and the other perched on the doorframe, Miranda looked every bit the imposing woman she was known to be.

"Ms. Lawson, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Kate asked, her arms crossed and smug expression still intact. Her position was denying her guest's entrance and she could tell it was only increasing Miranda's annoyance with her.

"You know damn well why I'm here, Shepard," Miranda stated, her tone just as forceful as the hands that found a place against Kate's stomach as the woman maneuvered her way into the apartment. The commander shrugged away from the contact, slinking toward her forgotten drink—now unbearably lukewarm. Once Kate had successfully downed the contents of her glass she finally took in the appearance of the woman standing before her. Hair usually left flowing freely was messily bunched up in a haphazard bun, pieces rebelling against the confines of their containment and framing her face. Kate could count the number of times on one hand she had seen her former XO with her hair up, this being the first. Her clothes were loose, the sweats she was wearing emblazoned with the Huerta Memorial Hospital insignia hanging low from her hips and a plain white v-neck. It was terribly uncharacteristic for Miranda Lawson to not be flawlessly put together and the agitation of this situation was clearly evident across the woman's face.

"Miranda," Kate called out after walking abruptly toward the bar before turning to look over her shoulder to continue addressing the harried woman. "I wasn't the one who thought it was a good idea to challenge Jack," Kate said, stepping behind the bar to pour another drink. The commander gestured to the bottle, silently asking if Miranda wanted anything, noticing the woman involuntarily shudder and decline the offer.

"How was I supposed to know the biotics would react like that?" Miranda huffed, her voice losing some of its previous edge. Kate could tell the woman was still baffled by what happened and would continue to work through the mathematics behind it to figure out what caused the mishap.

"_Aw, is the Cerberus Cheerleader too scared to handle a challenge from little ol' me?" Jack asked, mocking the stoic woman standing behind the bar. The tattooed biotic casually leaned back against her chair, an arm slung over the one next to her as she waited for a response._

"_Do you think just because you're commanding a ragtag group of misfits you can now stop sitting at the kiddie table and actually handle my superior biotics?" Miranda said, taunting the woman before her. "I highly doubt you'd be up for the task," she ribbed, her usual arrogant smirk in place._

"_Bring it on, cheerleader!" Jack shouted before hopping down from her seated position and pulling out a flask and rummaging around for two shot glasses. The liquid that poured from the container was an acidic green color with a ridiculously strong odor. Jack shoved the second glass toward Miranda and they both nodded before quickly downing the unknown liquid._

_Shepard watched from the doorway, clearly amused by the women's interactions with one another. It was apparent that whatever Jack had poured for them was relatively strong as they both staggered to the center of the study, clearly fighting to maintain their balance. Kate really didn't think that this challenge would have gone this far and was just about to make her presence known but before she could, the room was shrouded in a haze of biotic blue. The commander really had no idea what Jack had challenged Miranda to and by the looks of it, it wasn't about to end well._

"_Feel that, cheerleader?" Jack cackled, the blue orbs glowing around her hands effortlessly. "That's what defeat feels like," she crooned, her hands facing Miranda palms out and biotics at the ready._

"_How adorable, you actually think you can win," Miranda deadpanned, her own biotics flaring to life just as vibrantly as Jack's._

_Shepard took a step away from the glowing women and watched with a skeptical eye. It only took a moment before she saw them clasp their hands tightly together, their arms connected forming an X. Once the connection was completely locked, Kate felt a slight biotic pulse vibrate over and through her body. It didn't take long for the pulsing to get stronger and more noticeable the longer their hands stayed together. The blaze of blue was getting considerably brighter and Kate was seriously contemplating finding the visor from her armor to shield her eyes from the brightness but couldn't even fathom leaving, afraid she would miss something if she turned for just a moment._

"_Stop moving or you'll fuck it up!" Jack hissed, the biotics pulsing around her more quickly than a moment ago. It was like the air around the two women was beginning to crackle._

"_I didn't move!" Miranda shouted back, her brow furrowing in concentration at trying to remain absolutely still. But there it was, a small tick. A nervous twitch of the wrist and suddenly the room's atmosphere became more tense and affected by the surge of biotics that amplified once in contact with Jack's. The shockwave that followed was unavoidable as was the reverberation throughout the room._

_Upon seeing this, Shepard flared her own biotics to life, trying to dampen the impact the women would feel, but the added biotic energy only increased the level of chaos happening inside the room. The sizeable biotic backlash that happened left Miranda sprawled unmoving on the floor and Jack leaning over heavily against a nearby wall._

"_What the hell was that?" Kate asked, eyes wide and surveying the damage. Her gaze landed on the still form of Miranda before she quickly slid to her knees to check on the woman in question._

"_That was fucking sick," Jack stated, a hint of excitement coloring her tone. The woman's labored breathing aside, nothing else appeared amiss._

_A small moan reached their ears and they both turned their focus back on the former Cerberus operative. It appeared she was stirring after the hard blow she had received since she had absorbed the majority of the impact._

"_I think you broke her," Kate murmured, her head tilting to the side in evaluation. Shepard reached a slim hand out to brush Miranda's hair behind her ear, trying to draw the woman's attention. "Miranda…" Kate trailed off. After getting no verbal response, Shepard figured it was time to get some medical attention. Easily lifting the prone woman into her arms, Kate indicated to Jack that she should follow. Thankfully, even though the apartment and its guests were still in party mode, no one noticed the three women slip out and away from the noise._

"_Oh man, I can't wait to rub this into the cheerleader's face," Jack gloated, clearly excited to finally have one up on the unconscious woman._

"_Easy there, killer," The commander started, a small chuckle escaping her lips. Kate heard Jack grumble off to her side but paid it no mind as they called for a shuttle to drop them off at Huerta Memorial Hospital._

"_You're at least going to let me rub it in a little, right Commander?" Jack asked, adopting the most pathetic attempt at pouting Kate had ever seen. "I mean c'mon, it's not every day you hit a goldmine like this one! It's too perfect to pass up," she continued, basking in her small victory._

"_She has a point, Shep," came the voice of Kasumi Goto, tucked away in the back of the shuttle, her cloaking device flickering off to reveal the stealthy woman. "How often do we see the unflappable Miss Lawson, well… flapped," she finished lamely._

"_Weren't you just rifling through my closet? How did you even realize we were leaving?" Kate asked, no longer surprised at Kasumi's reappearing act. "Better yet, how the hell did you slide into the shuttle?" This woman was an enigma Kate couldn't wrap her head around and was doubtful that she ever would._

"_You should know by now that I see and know all," Kasumi said triumphantly. Kate turned around to offer a scathing glare in her direction, shaking her head and turning back toward the front of the vehicle. "I found some very interesting things during my treasure hunt. Cute polka dotted-," the thief said before abruptly being interrupted._

"_Did you notice Jacob and Vega having a pushup competition on the balcony?" Kate said quickly, hoping to avoid that topic of conversation. The last thing Kate needed was Kasumi broadcasting her underwear selection to the shuttle occupants._

"_Mmm, aren't his abs mesmerizing?" Kasumi asked in a dreamy tone, going completely silent and tuning out of the conversation._

"_Oh look, we're at Huerta," Kate stated, moving out of the shuttle the moment it touched down. The woman in her arms had yet to come around, but the commander wasn't too worried. From the looks of it, a concussion and some swelling would be the worst of it and Miranda would feel it for the next few days._

"_Why am I even here?" Jack whined, clearly not amused at being ushered through the hospital doors, a slight hitch in her gait just noticeable if you paid enough attention. Upon seeing their entrance, doctors and staff rushed to assist them. "I'm just fucking peachy," she finished, trying to squirm out of the nearest doctor's reach. If Kate didn't know any better, Jack was acting like that of a petulant child, avoiding a mother's worried touch._

"_I do hope you're not going to be needing my services again, Commander," Dr. Karen Chakwas casually said, breezing into the situation with a practiced ease of someone with years of experience. Kate let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding._

"_Evening Dr. Chakwas," Kate said, still firmly holding on to the woman unconscious in her arms. "I just need you to check over Miss Lawson. There was a slight mishap this evening and I want to be sure everything is fine," Kate elaborated as Dr. Chakwas waved a hand for her to follow. It didn't take long for the women to be sectioned off in an exam room._

"_How long has Miss Lawson been unconscious?" The doctor asked, performing a cursory routine of checking over her new patient once she was placed on the exam table. Kate found herself hovering close to the raven-haired woman as she provided Karen the necessary information._

"_She's been out less than ten minutes. The cause was an unexpected backlash of biotic energy. Her body became acquainted with the wall… The wall won," Kate explained, not quite understanding how the situation had spiraled out of control so quickly._

"_Hm," Chakwas hummed while checking Miranda's pupil dilation and reaction to a small light held in her hand. "Well, just to be sure I'll run a full body scan to check that nothing's broken and to assess if there's any swelling we should be concerned about. She's likely only suffered a minor concussion and will feel like she's enduring a hangover from hell when she wakes up enough to notice," Karen finished as she prepped a machine nearby to run the diagnostic scans. Kate hesitated briefly before placing her hand upon Miranda's, unsure if the reserved woman would appreciate such a public gesture. Figuring what the unconscious woman didn't know wouldn't hurt her, Kate laced their fingers together and held onto the unmoving hand tightly._

"_She's going to be a handful one way or another when she comes around," Kate commented, recalling the few times Miranda had suffered from an injury or a few too many drinks. Miranda was either a complete bitch or unusually quiet and subdued. You never knew which one you were going to get either._

"_It's a shame I missed your party, Commander," Dr. Chakwas lamented as she completed the full body scan. Kate observed her focused eyes, completely concentrated on examining the results in front of her. "But on a good note, I see nothing to be concerned about on these scans," she said, waving her hand over the images briefly before the screen flickered off. Kate breathed a sigh of relief at the doctor's words._

"_As far as I know it's still raging on without me. I don't think anyone noticed our departure," Kate stated, her thumb brushing across alabaster knuckles. "So we've got the all clear?" Kate asked, nodding her head in Miranda's direction._

"_Yes, of course. We'll keep her here tonight just to cover all our bases but she'll be fine in the morning," Dr. Chakwas explained, shifting the accommodations of the room slightly to make it more comfortable. Kate grimaced at the implication of Miranda having an impromptu overnight stay at Huerta._

"_Well, be prepared for a rough morning that will try your patience," Kate muttered, knowing that a stay in a hospital was like a one way ticket to the other woman being a bitch right from the start._

"_Come on then, Commander. I have a bottle of brandy with your name on it in my office," Dr. Chakwas said, a wry smile playing at her lips. It was the good doctor's turn to supply the bottle this time after all. As they left the sleeping woman's room, Kate caught a glimpse of Jack walking toward the exit._

"_Okay then, Jack?" Kate asked with concern after eyeing the woman's sluggish pace. It looked like the effects of the alcohol had finally ebbed away enough that she was now feeling some discomfort._

"_Nothing to worry about, Shepard. It's nothing I can't handle," Jack all but grunted out before slinking through the hospital exit without another word. Kate shrugged off Jack's brusque manner without a second thought._

"_So, how about that brandy, Doc?" Kate questioned, eagerly awaiting a glass of their preferred liquor. She watched as Karen poured them both a generous amount before taking a seat on the plush couch on the far side of the office._

"_How are you and Miranda these days, Commander? Still going at it like rabbits?" Dr. Chakwas asked, a mischievous glint sparkling in her eyes. Kate stopped mid-drink and was sure she looked like a deer caught in headlights._

"_Oh, don't play coy with me, Commander. You didn't think your rendezvous in the engine room went unnoticed, did you? I'm certain the entirety of the Normandy knew what was going on. I never would have pictured you as the screamer between the two of you. I lost fifty credits to Garrus on that bet," she added humorously, taking another sip of the chilled brandy._

_A strangled cough and raucous laughter sounded from the room as the doors to the office slowly closed._

"She said _what_?" Miranda all but shrieked, a blush settling in on her cheeks, bringing color to her otherwise pale skin. Kate had yet to find anything that riled the other woman up more than revealing someone was privy to something personal, regardless of how insignificant it was. Well, excluding _certain_ things, of course. "Who else knows?" She asked, the words coming out in a stilted manner.

"The real question is who _doesn't_ know," Kate drawled, her eyes rolling at Miranda's uptight demeanor. The commander finished her drink and pushed it out of the way. "I'm sure anyone within shouting distance of Garrus once he won that bet from Chakwas knows, dear," she finished sarcastically, not seeing the big deal. But getting the ever-stubborn Miranda Lawson to concede was an entirely different matter. Walking around the bar, Kate took up residence on one of the stools, casually leaning back against the counter, her elbows coming up to rest on the polished surface.

"How could I convince you to leave me locked in a room with Garrus for a few hours?" Miranda asked, a small huff of annoyance passing by her lips. Kate took a good look at the woman standing before her, body braced against the back of the couch less than a few steps away. Even now, in such a casual way and without even trying, Miranda Lawson never failed at taking her breath away.

"Miranda," Kate commanded softly, her finger flicking in a back and forth motion, urging her to come closer. After a brief moment, Kate watched as she moved forward slowly, stopping within her personal space but without their bodies touching. The commander tilted her head slightly to the side, eyes roaming over the lithe body before settling back on the intense gaze peering at her from beneath hooded eyelids. "Let it go," Kate said quietly with a small shake of her head.

Kate watched as Miranda took a shuddering breath, like she was preparing to argue against those words. Before she could get started, Kate wrapped a foot around the woman's calf, drawing her body in closer. She settled Miranda between her parted thighs as her arms left their perch, allowing her hands to find a new resting place upon slim hips. Kate left a trail of blazing heat across pale flesh as her thumb traced small circles across Miranda's hip, causing the raven-haired woman's breath to hitch at the sudden contact.

"You just have to let these things go, Miri," Kate continued, her thumb never halting its movement across heated skin. The commander understood that Miranda had always experienced difficulty in letting things go, surrendering control over things that were out of her grasp. But it was with that realization that Kate understood Miranda was just trying to protect them. In her own unique way of maintaining a cold façade and remaining indifferent, Miranda was desperately trying to hold on to what they had. Never giving anyone an inch or ever exposing what happened in their lives.

"But-," Miranda said, surely starting to object, before the commander cut her off with a gentle squeeze of the hip. Kate watched as her mouth closed instantly, certain that the flicker of emotions from within her own swirling emerald orbs was the cause for the abrupt silence.

"This is a crazy life we live," Kate stated suddenly, realizing she had paused for too long, getting lost within her own head at remembering everything that brought them to this point.

"Yes, it is, Shepard. Yes, it is," Miranda agreed, her hands sliding up the commander's arms before settling on either side of her neck.

"I know you want to add a few marks to that already rugged mug of his, but you have to know Garrus means well," Kate started, a small smile tugging at her lips. "We've been through a lot together and his words and banter are his way of showing he cares. What more can I say? That's just Garrus," the commander said, holding up a hand to stall Miranda from speaking so she could continue, her hand finding its previous position easily.

"This is our normal, Miranda. A dysfunctional one, but normal for us nonetheless," Kate added, the strain of emotion becoming evident in her voice. "Can we let everything else go and just be here?" she asked, taking a much-needed breath to try and calm the riptide of emotions simmering just below the surface. Her grip tightened on slender hips beneath her hands, which grounded her to this moment.

"Let it go and take it all in; witty remarks, slapstick commentary and one hell of an insane group of individuals who have been here for it all," Kate finished, exhaling deeply and focusing on the eyes that had never wavered from her gaze.

"Are you finished?" Miranda asked, her signature eyebrow raise morphing her features for only a moment. Kate nodded her head but remained silent, curious to hear what she had to say.

"You're right," Miranda whispered, her eyes never leaving the captivating emerald that drew her in from the start. "The truth is Shepard, I'm not very good at being normal. Bit of a disaster, really. But I want to do this," she said quietly, her thumb brushing against Kate's cheek.

"That's all I needed to hear," Kate said before grasping Miranda firmly, her lips finding the raven-haired woman's easily for a heated embrace. Each of their hands began roaming across familiar territory, burning this moment into memory. A small chuckle helped dissolve the kiss between them.

"I feel as if I should be offended you laughed just now," Miranda said, her mouth leaving a fiery trail up along the commander's jaw. Her lips stopped at Kate's ear as her tongue flicked out to pull the lobe in, her teeth nibbling lightly. Drawing it between her teeth and tugging earned her an appreciative groan. Feeling hands rest against her own muscular thighs, Kate watched Miranda pull away, awaiting a response.

"You do realize we'll need to set Garrus straight, right?" Kate asked, a grin firmly in place and a playful gleam in her eye.

"What do you mean?" Miranda asked, confusion evident across her delicate features.

"I'm not the only one prone to screaming," Kate trailed off, leaning forward to nip at an exposed collarbone. "The only reason Garrus won that bet is because I hadn't even started. Fifty credits says Dr. Chakwas bet we'd both be overly… vocal," she finished, her hands searching out the skin beneath the soft fabric of the other woman's shirt. A smack at her hands abruptly stopped their wandering, her gaze instantly snapping back to Miranda's.

"Absolutely not!" Miranda said, her eyes wide at the suggestion. Kate found it adorable she was acting surprised at the idea.

"C'mon," Kate whined, scraping her nails down Miranda's toned stomach, the action granting her a moan and weakening the woman's resolve. "It'll be perfect. I know for a fact Garrus will be the first back on the ship and Chakwas won't be far behind. We'll disturb his calibrations," Kate finished, shaking her head at recalling the many times Garrus had refused any sort of interaction due to his incessant calibrations.

"You're incorrigible," Miranda said, leaning forward to capture the commander's mouth with her own again. Once the need for air surfaced, Kate watched as Miranda leaned close and felt the woman's forehead rest comfortably against her own, eyes closed.

"What a send off though," Kate said in an encouraging manner, knowing Miranda would give in. The commander realized this would be their last moment together before she left and set the Normandy's course to earth. That thought made her chest tighten in both anticipation and anxiety. Kate felt Miranda's eyes trained on her before focusing her attention on the tumultuous ocean blue gaze.

"I know you, Caitlin," Miranda started, using her given name instead of her usual nickname. "You'll find a way to win," she continued, her eyes burning with emotion, "and when you do, I'll be waiting for you." Miranda's words settled something inside the commander, who felt the other woman's nose nuzzle gently against her own before a lingering kiss ended the moment.

With a renewed vigor, Kate maneuvered herself off the stool and threw an arm over Miranda's shoulders, knowing it would elicit an eye roll from the woman as she guided them toward the apartment door. Stopping briefly to grab the well worn leather N7 jacket and putting it on, Kate brought Miranda in the same way as before, this time placing a chaste kiss at her temple.

Her tone colored with excitement, Kate started, "Do you think-"

"No," Miranda interrupted, her tone leaving no room for argument as her arm wrapped around the commander's waist.

"But you didn't even know what I was going to say!" Kate protested, a small pout gracing her features.

"Does it involve the cockpit of the Normandy?" Miranda asked, the silence of the commander speaking for itself. "I thought so," she finished with a small laugh.

"Then what about-," Kate started again as they walked out of the apartment, the hiss of the door drowning out the rest of their conversation.


End file.
